Skip to main content
American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 2001 Jul;91(7):1126–1129. doi: 10.2105/ajph.91.7.1126

Immunization and symptoms of atopic disease in children: results from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood.

H R Anderson 1, J D Poloniecki 1, D P Strachan 1, R Beasley 1, B Björkstén 1, M I Asher 1; ISAAC Phase 1 Study Group1
PMCID: PMC1446713  PMID: 11441744

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study tested the hypothesis that immunization is related to the prevalence of atopic disease in childhood. METHODS: We used data from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood to perform an ecologic analysis of national and local immunization rates for tuberculosis, diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis (DTP), and measles and prevalence of atopic disease symptoms (asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema). RESULTS: In 13- to 14-year-old children, there were significant negative associations with local birth-year immunization rates for DTP and measles but none with rates for tuberculosis. No associations were found in 6- to 7-year-old children. No associations with national immunization rates were found. CONCLUSIONS: International variations in childhood atopic diseases are unlikely to be explained by variations in immunization.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (75.5 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alm J. S., Lilja G., Pershagen G., Scheynius A. Early BCG vaccination and development of atopy. Lancet. 1997 Aug 9;350(9075):400–403. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(97)02207-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Björkstén B. Allergy priming early in life. Lancet. 1999 Jan 16;353(9148):167–168. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)77212-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bodner C., Godden D., Seaton A. Family size, childhood infections and atopic diseases. The Aberdeen WHEASE Group. Thorax. 1998 Jan;53(1):28–32. doi: 10.1136/thx.53.1.28. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Farooqi I. S., Hopkin J. M. Early childhood infection and atopic disorder. Thorax. 1998 Nov;53(11):927–932. doi: 10.1136/thx.53.11.927. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Greenland S., Morgenstern H. Ecological bias, confounding, and effect modification. Int J Epidemiol. 1989 Mar;18(1):269–274. doi: 10.1093/ije/18.1.269. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Henderson J., North K., Griffiths M., Harvey I., Golding J. Pertussis vaccination and wheezing illnesses in young children: prospective cohort study. The Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood Team. BMJ. 1999 May 1;318(7192):1173–1176. doi: 10.1136/bmj.318.7192.1173. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Holt P. G., Sly P. D., Björkstén B. Atopic versus infectious diseases in childhood: a question of balance? Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 1997 May;8(2):53–58. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.1997.tb00145.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jefferson T. Vaccination and its adverse effects: real or perceived. Society should think about means of linking exposure to potential long term effect. BMJ. 1998 Jul 18;317(7152):159–160. doi: 10.1136/bmj.317.7152.159. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kemp T., Pearce N., Fitzharris P., Crane J., Fergusson D., St George I., Wickens K., Beasley R. Is infant immunization a risk factor for childhood asthma or allergy? Epidemiology. 1997 Nov;8(6):678–680. doi: 10.1097/00001648-199710000-00011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lewis S. A., Britton J. R. Measles infection, measles vaccination and the effect of birth order in the aetiology of hay fever. Clin Exp Allergy. 1998 Dec;28(12):1493–1500. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.1998.00436.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Munoz J. J., Peacock M. G. Action of pertussigen (pertussis toxin) on serum IgE and on Fc epsilon receptors on lymphocytes. Cell Immunol. 1990 May;127(2):327–336. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(90)90136-f. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nilsson L., Kjellman N. I., Björkstén B. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of pertussis vaccines on atopic disease. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998 Aug;152(8):734–738. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.152.8.734. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Odent M. R., Culpin E. E., Kimmel T. Pertussis vaccination and asthma: is there a link? JAMA. 1994 Aug 24;272(8):592–593. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Pauwels R., Van der Straeten M., Platteau B., Bazin H. The non-specific enhancement of allergy. I. In vivo effects of Bordetella pertussis vaccine on IgE synthesis. Allergy. 1983 May;38(4):239–246. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1983.tb01617.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Prescott S. L., Macaubas C., Smallacombe T., Holt B. J., Sly P. D., Holt P. G. Development of allergen-specific T-cell memory in atopic and normal children. Lancet. 1999 Jan 16;353(9148):196–200. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(98)05104-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Shaheen S. O., Aaby P., Hall A. J., Barker D. J., Heyes C. B., Shiell A. W., Goudiaby A. Measles and atopy in Guinea-Bissau. Lancet. 1996 Jun 29;347(9018):1792–1796. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(96)91617-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Strachan D., Sibbald B., Weiland S., Aït-Khaled N., Anabwani G., Anderson H. R., Asher M. I., Beasley R., Björkstén B., Burr M. Worldwide variations in prevalence of symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in children: the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 1997 Nov;8(4):161–176. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.1997.tb00156.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Strannegård I. L., Larsson L. O., Wennergren G., Strannegård O. Prevalence of allergy in children in relation to prior BCG vaccination and infection with atypical mycobacteria. Allergy. 1998 Mar;53(3):249–254. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1998.tb03884.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ward B. J., Griffin D. E. Changes in cytokine production after measles virus vaccination: predominant production of IL-4 suggests induction of a Th2 response. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1993 May;67(2):171–177. doi: 10.1006/clin.1993.1061. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Williams H., Robertson C., Stewart A., Aït-Khaled N., Anabwani G., Anderson R., Asher I., Beasley R., Björkstén B., Burr M. Worldwide variations in the prevalence of symptoms of atopic eczema in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999 Jan;103(1 Pt 1):125–138. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(99)70536-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association

RESOURCES